Spade



c.- E. MILLER.

SPADE.

APPLICATIQN. HLED JAN- 25, 19,18-

Patented Ame, 1920.

FIGJ.

iliilillliil WITNESSES R O N E V.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. MILLER, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPADE.

Application filed January 25, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county-of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have made a new and useful Invention in Spades, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of spades or similar articlesin which one piece is formed with integral tenons to which another pieceis riveted.

In the manufacture of spades it is now customary to provide the top ofthe blade thereof with a finishing strip which serves as a step or footrest. The blade of the spade is provided with a handle socket consistingof curved front and back straps one of which is generally struck up fromthe metal of the blade and the other of which is usuall welded to theblade. Between these or wit in the socket formed by the same the handleof wood is secured. The handles vary in diameter and the handle socketdoes not always happen to be centrally located and as the foot rests orstep pieces are riveted to the blade one on each side of the handle andthen driven into the handle at their inner ends it has been customary tomake up these foot rests or step pieces in different lengths or to punchthe tenon receiving holes at difierent points in the length of the steppieces to accommodate handles of different diameters and those offcenter. This practice has required more or less fitting and the carryingin stock of the different length step pieces.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby uniform steppieces may be used which will automatically adjust or accommodatethemselves to handles of varying diameters.

This as well as other objects I attain by means of the constructiondescribed in the specification and illustrated in the drawingsaccompanying the same and forming a part of this application.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a spade embodyingthis invention; Fig. 2 is a top view partially in plan and partially insection of a spade embodying this invention; Fig. 3 is a view showing aportion of the blade in .elevation with the step pieces and handle shownin section and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of theblade and step piece and the riveted tenon in section.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 213,807.

In carrying out this invention the wood handle 5 is inserted within thesocket formed by the curved metal members 6 and 7 secured to or struckup from the material of blade 8. The handle is secured within the socketin any suitable manner and the blade is formed with integral tenons 9and 10 proecting from the top edge thereof. Step pieces 11 and 12 areprovided and these have their inner ends flared as at 13 and formed withthree points 14, 15 and 16 the outer end of each step piece is punchedto provide a tenon slot 17 having serrated or roughened sides 18, 18 Thetenon slots are made materially longer than the tenons so as to provideadjustment between the tenons and the slots, Each step piece between itspointed end and a point adjacent the rivet slot is upwardly curved asshown in Fig. 3 so as to shorten the over all length of the step piece.

In assembling the step pieces they are placed over the tenons so thatthe end of point 16 contacts with the wood handle exposed between thesocket pieces 6 and 7 The tenon is then riveted over so as to secure thestep piece in place and the step is then flattened as shown at the rightof Fig. 3. This process drives point 16 into the wood handle and at thesame time points 14 and 15 are caused to straddle the socket members 6and 7 as shown at the right of Fig. 2.

It will be seen that in this manner I provide what may be termed anadjustable tenon or rivet slot and from the formation of the slot thatis the roughened or serrated sides thereof it will be seen that the stepwill be rigidly held in place at one end by the rivet and at the otherend by the handle and the socket members 6 and 7 It will be understoodthat this invention is applicable to other articles of manufacture inwhich itisdesired to secure two pieces or members together by means of ariveted tenon formed integral with one of the members.

Having thus described my invention what side walls, of a member havingan integral tenon adapted to move freely between opposed serrations insaid slot and to have its sides extruded to engage said serrations.

3. The combination with a spade blade having a tenon formed integraltherewith, of a step piece having a tenon slot of relatively greatlength with relation to said tenon and provided with roughened sidewalls.

4. The combination with a spade blade having a tenon formed integraltherewith, of a step piece having a tenon slot of relatively greatlength with relation to said tenon and provided with toothed side wallsengaging the sides of said tenon to prevent longitudinal movement ofsaid step piece.

In a spade, a blade provided with integral tenons and a handle socket, ahandle within said socket, step members each provided with an end formedto pierce said handle and with an end having a tenon slot of relativelygreat length with relation to said tenon and provided with roughenedside walls receiving extended portions of said tenon.

6. In a spade, a blade provided with integral tenons and a handlesocket, a handle within said socket, step members each provided with anend formed to pierce said handle and with an end having a tenon slot ofrelatively great length with relation to said tenon and provided withtoothed side walls engaging. teeth formed in said tenon of said step andblade may be obtained and means for maintaining desired adjustment byextruding the sides of said tenon to engage said toothed mortise.

8. In a spade, a blade provided with inte-gral tenons and a handlesocket, a handle within said socket, step members being relativelyadjustable with said blade and handle and provided with a mortise forsaid tenons and means for maintaining adjustment between said stepmember and said blade and handle comprisingserrations in sides of saidmortise and engaging serrations in said tenon formed after adjustment ofsaid tenon and mortise.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this ninth dayof January, 1918.

CHARLES E. MILLER.

